135/223 – Harry Brook rewrites record books with one-man show

Harry Brook walked out at 5 for 3, which soon became 10 for 4 and 56 for 6 before his six-laden 101-ball 135 lifted England to some respectability

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Oct-202560.53 – Percentage of England’s total of 223 that came off Harry Brook’s bat as he scored 135. It is the highest contribution by a batter in a completed innings for England in men’s ODIs. The previous highest was 60.28 by Robin Smith, who scored an unbeaten 167 in England’s total of 277 for 5 against Australia at Birmingham in 1993.Brook’s contribution is also the sixth-highest by any batter in an all out innings in men’s ODIs.

135 – Brook’s score against New Zealand is the second-highest while batting at No. 5 or lower for England in ODIs. Jos Buttler scored 150 while batting at No. 5 against West Indies in 2019.Brook’s 135 is also the second-highest score for England in men’s ODIs in New Zealand, behind Jonny Bairstow’s 138 against New Zealand in Dunedin in 2018.3 for 5 – England’s score when Brook walked out to bat at the start of the third over. Only two other batters in ODI history have scored hundreds after starting with the team three down for fewer than ten runs – 105 by Sarfaraz Ahmed from 3 for 2 against England in 2016 at Lord’s and 103 by Yuvraj Singh from 3 for 5 against South Africa in 2005 at Hyderabad.

223 – England’s total in Mount Maunganui is the second-highest total in ODIs with eight batters dismissed for single-digit scores. The highest is 272 for 9 by West Indies against England in 1984, where Viv Richards scored an unbeaten 189.England’s 223 is also the second-highest total with only two of the 11 batters reaching double-figures. The highest is 292 for 9 by West Indies against South Africa in 1999, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (150) and Carl Hooper (108) scoring hundreds.2 – Previous instances of a team going past the 200-run mark despite being four wickets down for ten or fewer runs in an ODI. India’s 266 for 8 against Zimbabwe in 1983 and Pakistan’s 262 for 9 against South Africa in 1997 came after being four down for nine runs.England’s 10 is their second-lowest at the fall of the fourth wicket in men’s ODIs, behind the 6 against Australia in Adelaide in 2018.

57 – Partnership runs between Brook and Luke Wood for the tenth wicket. It is the highest tenth-wicket stand for England in men’s ODIs, bettering the 53 by James Anderson and Steven Finn against Australia at Brisbane in 2011.11 – Sixes hit by Brook. Only two batters have hit more sixes in an ODI innings for England – 17 by Eoin Morgan against Afghanistan in 2019, while Buttler hit 14 against Netherlands in 2022 and 12 against West Indies in 2019.Brook’s 11 sixes are also the joint-third-highest by any batter in an ODI in New Zealand.3 – Sixes off consecutive balls by Brook to bring up his hundred – from 86 to 104. Since the start of 2002, only one other batter has reached his hundred with a hat-trick of sixes in ODIs – Glenn Maxwell against Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup, while Shubman Gill did the same to bring up his double-hundred against New Zealand in 2023 (where ball-by-ball data is available).

Jesus upgrade: Nottingham Forest in the race to sign £13m “freight truck”

Nottingham Forest’s revival since Sean Dyche’s arrival at the club has been nothing short of sensational, with the 54-year-old having an immediate impact at the City Ground.

He’s led the Reds to four wins out of a possible five in the Premier League, taking the side out of the relegation zone and now looking upwards rather than over their shoulder.

Dyche has allowed numerous players to recapture their best form in the East Midlands, but none more so than Morgan Gibbs-White, as seen by his form in November.

The Englishman scored three times in his four appearances last month, resulting in the 25-year-old being nominated for the division’s Player of the Month award.

He could be joined by multiple other attacking options after the January window, with owner Evangelos Marinakis once again preparing to invest in the first-team squad.

Forest’s hunt for added reinforcements in the January window

Over the last couple of days, Forest have been just one English side touted with a potential move to land Lyon star Tyler Morton in the upcoming transfer window.

It’s been reported that Dyche’s side could see the 23-year-old as a possible replacement for Elliot Anderson should the England international leave in the winter market.

However, it’s also been reported that Marinakis is unwilling to sanction a January exit for their star player, with a £100m valuation already being slapped on his head.

Morton isn’t the only player on their shortlist at present, though, with Parma striker Mateo Pellegrino another option currently being considered by the hierarchy.

According to Sport Witness, the Reds are just one of multiple Premier League sides considering a move for the 24-year-old forward, who’s already netted seven goals this season.

The report also states West Ham and Spurs have also tracked his progress, with an unnamed English outfit already making a £13m bid for his signature in the summer.

Why Forest’s latest target would be an upgrade on Jesus

During the recent spending in the summer, Forest completed a deal for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, after the Brazilian impressed at the Club World Cup during the summer.

Such a move generated huge excitement among the fanbase, with the 24-year-old already making an immediate impact in England after his transfer during the off-season.

He’s already found the net on six separate occasions to date, with three of his efforts coming in the Europa League during the club’s first European campaign in 30 years.

Jesus finally netted his first Premier League goal of the season against Wolves on Wednesday night, with his effort hopefully the first of many during the 2025/26 campaign.

However, he could find himself further down the pecking order after January, especially if the hierarchy complete a deal for Pellegrino during the upcoming window.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the Argentine has outperformed him in key areas, showcasing why he would be an upgrade in the Brazilian.

Pellegrino, who’s been labelled a “freight-truck” by Serie A commentator Jose Rodriguez, has registered more league goals in 2025/26 to date, whilst also achieving a better goal per shot on target rate.

Games played

13

13

Goals & assists

4

1

Shot on target accuracy

38%

25%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.1

Passes into final third

1.1

0.6

Take-on success

64%

27%

Fouls drawn

2.3

1.4

Aerials won

4.6

3.9

Aerial success rate

55%

41%

Such numbers showcase his incredible ability when in front of goal, whether that be in the air or on the ground, with the Argentine possessing serious quality in the box.

He could be the perfect Dyche centre-forward, as seen by his tally of 4.6 aerials won at a success rate of 53%, potentially offering the focal point, an area in which Jesus has struggled.

The Parma talisman has also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst making more passes into the final third, arguably being a better all-round option than the Brazilian.

It’s unclear if the player himself would be open to a winter switch to the Premier League, but it’s clear Pellegrino would be a perfect fit for the current system at the City Ground.

He and Jesus are two players who could certainly share the responsibility at the top end of the pitch, with the former of the pair the best option to lead the club into the unknown.

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Nottingham Forest look set to target a top European talent in the January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

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